Collapsible tray



1958 J. M. FABIAN ET AL 2,

COLLAPSIBLE' TRAY Filed April 16, 1954 2 shets-sneet 1 BY WWWWCOLLAPSIBLE TRAY Joseph M. Fabian and Adolph Pfitzer, Chicago, 111.;said Pfitzer assignor to said Fabian Application April 16, 1954, SerialNo. 423,590 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) This invention relates to trays andmore particularly to a collapsible tray.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a tray which may beformed without the use of permanent fastening means such as nails or thelike and which may be readily assembled or collapsed in a minimum oftime and with minimum effort.

Another object is to provide a tray in which the front and rear thereofare made of metal castings which may be readily interlocked with thebottom and sides of the tray to form a complete tray unit, and which maybe readily disassembled when required to replace either the bottom andsides of the tray.

Another object is to provide a tray which may be stacked in tiers andlocked in such stacked position.

Another object is to provide a collapsible tray which may be made of anylength and which is provided with removable clips for securing the sidesof the tray to the bottom of the tray.

We have found that the conventional trays that are made for use in theprocessing of candy are objectionable in that the nails or otherfastening means used in building the tray have a tendency to work loosein time and become mixed with the candy, all of which is very dangerousand objectionable. Furthermore, such trays after a period of use have tobe destroyed due to the candy permeating the wood from which the tray ismade. All of these objectionable features are eliminated with thepresent invention. The present tray contains no nails or fastening meanswhich can work out and become imbedded with the candy. Furthermore ifany wood portion of the tray has to be replaced it may be done readilywithout destroying the usable portions. Furthermore the present tray maybe readily assembled for use in much less time than that required forconventional trays.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tray forming this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a plurality of trays stacked inaccordance with this invention.

Fig. 2-11 is a partial front view taken on lines 2u2a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the top or upper section of the partforming the end of the tray.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the top and bottom sections joined as informing the tray.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on line S5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of one corner as at 7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of bottom section of end taken on lines 88 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of bottom section taken on line 9-9 of Fig.4.

Fig. 10 is a rear elevational view of the bottom section and Fig. 11 isa perspective view of the clamp used in connection with this invention.

The tray generally indicated by the numeral 20 in Figs. 1 and 2 may beof any length dependent upon that desired. The tray is made up with 4metal castings, two of which form one end of the tray and two form theopposite end. These ends may be termed for purpose of description thefront and rear ends, although they may form the sides of the tray. Thepair of castings forming the front end are identical to the pair ofcastings used for the rear end, consequently one pair of castings willbe described in detail.

The pair of castings forming the front or rear end of the tray comprisea bottom or base section 22 and an upper or top section 24 adapted to besecured thereto by bolts 26. Each section is cast as in integral unit.The base section has a longitudinal horizontal ledge 28 provided with aplurality of spaced upwardly projecting tapered pins 29 integrallyformed with the ledge. The ledge has an upwardly extending front wall orrib 30 formed at right angles to the ledge which defines a shoulderportion 31.

Depending from said ledge are four legs, all indicated by the numeral32, two of which are positioned adjacent one side and two adjacent theother side with a longitudinal intermediate raised portion 33therebetween. Each leg has a stepped rear portion 34 which defines alongitudinal shoulder 35. The front of each leg is hollow as at 36 toreduce casting weight.

Between each pair of legs is a raised portion 38 through which extends avertical opening 40 for passage of the bolts 26 to be described. Theinner legs joining the intermediate raised portion are angled as at 42.The rear wall of the ledge is also angled as at 44.

The upper or top section 24 has a lower flat longitudinal base 46 of adepth equal to the depth of the ledge 28 and rib 30 of the lower section22. The rear vertical wall 48 of the upper section is flat and at rightangles to the base 46 and has an angled portion 50 joining the base 46.The top of the upper section has a flat longitudinal portion 52 and araised rear longitudinal portion 54 defining a shoulder 56 therebetween.Extending forwardly of the raised portion 54 are a pair of spaced raisedportions 58 on the same plane with the raised portion 54, each of whichhas a pair of slightly angled shoulders 60. The top of the upper section24 extends laterally at the opposite sides to form a tapered ear ormortise 62 at each end which forms a dovetailed joint with the sidemembers of the tray to be described.

The front or face of the upper section is recessed or channelled as at64 and is provided with a pair of spaced bossings 66 through whichextend vertical openings 68 which are internally threaded as at 69. g

In forming the tray a flat bottom panel 70 is used which may be of woodor any other material and of any length desired. The width of the panelshould be equal to the length of the sections 22 and 24. The thicknessof the panel should be equal to the space defined when the two sections22 and 24 are superimposed for locking engagement as best shown in Figs.5 and 6. A pair of arcuate shaped cutouts 71 are provided at each end ofthe bottom panel for alignment with the openings 40 and 68 in thesections.

The side walls 72 of the tray may likewise be made of wood and naturallyof any length dependent on the bottom panel. The tops of the side walls72 adjacent their opposite ends are cut to form flaring tenons ortongues 74 which are engaged by the mortises 62 to form a dove- PatentedFeb. 4, 8.

bottom tray panel 70 of the prescribed size is positioned on the lowersection 22 so that its end portion rests on the pins 29 of the ledge 28against the shoulder 31, with the arcuate shaped cutouts 71 of the panelin alignment with the openings 40. The same procedure is followed withthe opposite end of the tray. The side walls 72 of the tray are nextpositioned on the bottom panel of the tray with the tenons 74 facingupwardly and the outer ends of the side wall flush with the face of thelower section. The top section 24 is next applied and is positioned overthe end of the bottom panel 70 of the tray, with the openings 68 inalignment with the openings 40 of the lower section. The bottom 46 ofthe upper section will rest on the top of the wall or rib 3 with thebalance resting on the bottom panel 70. The cars or mortise 62 of theupper section will interlock with the tenons 74 of the side walls 72.The threaded bolt 26 is inserted through the bottom opening 40, thearcuate cutout 71 and engaged with the threaded opening 68. Bytightening the bolt the two sections are interlocked with the bottompanel and side members of the tray securely fastened therebetween. Thepins 29 on the lower section 22 becoming imbedded in the bottom panel.The same procedure is followed with respect to the opposite end of thetray.

To prevent any separation of the bottom panel 70 with the side wall 72particularly if the tray is of any length, there is provided a springclip 75 best shown in Fig. 11. It is made of a spring material and ofsubstantially L shape with a top wall 76 and a short depending flange77. The bottom 78 has a pair of upstanding projections 79 which serve aspins to engage the underside of the bottom tray panel. The distancebetween the leg 80 of the clip and flange 77 being slightly greater thanthe thickness of the side wall 72. The clip is snapped in position byplacing it on the top of the side wall and pushing it inwardly againstthe side wall. The bottom of the clip will give sufficiently to permitthe clip to be pushed inwardly to engage the bottom of the tray. Theprojections 79 engaging the underside of the tray. To remove the clip itis pushed in the opposite direction. A number of such clips may bepositioned and secured on each side of the tray and thus more securelylock the side wall to the bottom along the length of the tray.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a tray may be formed without theuse of nails or other permanent fastening means and that the tray may bereadily assembled and disassembled and that new bottom tray panels and aside member may be substituted without destroying the end sections whichmay be reused indefinitely. Also a tray may be assembled in a fractionof the time now necessary for conventional trays.

The construction heretofore described is so designed that trays may bestacked in tiers as best shown in Figs. 2 and 2A. In such stackedposition there is sufficient spacing between adjacent trays.

In stacking the trays the legs 32 rest on the upper section 24 of anadjacent tray with the shoulders 35 of the legs resting against theshoulder 56 of the top section of an adjacent tray and the verticalwalls between each pair of legs positioned on the opposite side of theraised portion 58 of the upper section and adjacent the shoulders 60.The tray may be thus readily stacked and removed and retained in a firmposition while stacked. It will be understood that since theinterfitting of trays in stacked position is similar at the oppositeends of the tray namely the front and rear that endwise shifting of thetray is prevented as is also sidewise shifting.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madefrom the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

Weclaim:

1. In a collapsible tray of the character described comprisingsidewalls, front and rear end members each formed of top and bottomsections adapted to secure a tray panel therebetween, the bottom sectionhaving a supporting ledge provided with upstanding projections whichengage the tray panel, said bottom section having a rib positionedoutwardly of said ledge and two pairs of spaced legs, said bottomsection having lateral extensions supporting the side walls of the traysaid ledge having a plurality of openings, a top section having a fiatbottom wall resting on said tray panel and on said rib and provided witha plurality of threaded openings in alignment with the openings in thebottom section, said top section having an undercut flange at theopposite ends thereof engaging the side walls of the tray, and athreaded bolt within each said aligned openings and secured to thethreaded openings to detachably secure the sections together with thetray panel and side walls therebetween.

2. In a collapsible tray of the character described comprising sidewalls and end members, said end members each formed of a top and bottomsection adapted to be detachably interlocked with a tray paneltherebetween, said bottom section having a recessed supporting ledgebehind the front of the bottom section for supporting the tray panel,said recessed portion being of a height substantially that of thethickness of the tray panel, said bottom section also supporting theside walls, said top section having a bottom which rests on the top ofthe tray panel and engages the top of said bottom section above therecessed ledge, said top section having an undercut extension at theopposite ends thereof engaging the side walls and locking the side wallsbetween the top and bottom sections, and vertically extending detachableconnecting members engaging said top and bottom sections and positionedinwardly of the ends of said top and bottom sections for detachablysecuring said sections together in clamping relation with tray panel andside walls therebetween.

3. In a collapsible tray of the character described comprising sidewalls and end members, said end members each formed of a top and bottomsection adapted to be detachably interlocked with a tray paneltherebetween, said bottom section having a stepped down supporting ledgebehind the front of the bottom section which has upwardly extendingprojections which engage the tray panel, said stepped down portion beingof a height substantially that of the thickness of the tray panel, saidbottom section also supporting the side walls, said top section having abottom which rests on the top of the tray panel and engages the top ofsaid bottom section above the stepped down ledge, said top sectionhaving an undercut extension at the opposite ends thereof engaging theside walls and locking the side walls between the top and bottomsections, vertically extending bolts positioned inwardly of the oppositeends of said top and bottom section and extending into said top andbottom sections for detachably securing said top and bottom sectionstogether in clamping relation with the tray panel and side wallstherebetween, said bottom section and the upper part of said top sectioneach having interlocking means so that a plurality of trays may bepositioned on top of each other with the locking means of the bottomsection of an upper tray engaging the locking means on the upper part ofthe top section of a lower tray to interlock said trays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS706,763 Lange Aug. 12, 1902 757,558 Lyman Apr. 19, 1904 1,937,847 RunyanDec. 5, 1933 2,017,264 Taylor Oct. 15, 1935 2,443,341 Butler June 15,1948 2,449,658 La Macchi-a Sept. 21, 1948 2,593,998 Dupuis Apr. 22, 1952

